Tariff‑refund system set

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will open a new online system on April 20 for importers seeking refunds on tariffs collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. (cbp.gov) The agency said importers of record and customs brokers can file requests through the Automated Commercial Environment Secure Data Portal by uploading a comma-separated values file listing entry numbers. Each filing can include up to 9,999 entries, and filers can submit more than one declaration. (cbp.gov) Customs said valid claims will generally be paid within 60 to 90 days after a CAPE declaration is accepted, unless the agency flags a compliance issue for further review. Refunds will be sent electronically rather than by separate paper checks in most cases. (cbp.gov) (federalregister.gov) The system covers duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the law President Donald Trump used in 2025 to levy tariffs through executive action. Customs’ April notice describes this as Phase 1 of the refund process and says the new CAPE tab will appear in importer, organizational broker, and filer sub-accounts in the portal. (federalregister.gov) (cbp.gov) The money at stake is large. Reuters reported the administration is preparing to refund about $166 billion in tariffs, while the Penn Wharton Budget Model estimated new tariffs raised $224.8 billion between January 2025 and February 2026 before accounting for tax offsets. (finance-commerce.com) (budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu) Penn Wharton said the average effective tariff rate reached 8.9 percent through February 2026, with China facing 31.6 percent in February, showing how unevenly the tariff burden has fallen across trading partners and products. (budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu) Customs has spent months moving refunds into electronic channels. A January interim final rule made electronic refunds the default, and the agency said portal upgrades were meant to speed processing and prepare businesses for the shift. (federalregister.gov) (cbp.gov) For importers, the immediate next step is practical: enroll refund banking information in the portal, prepare entry lists in the required file format, and start filing on April 20 if they believe they are owed money back. (cbp.gov 1) (cbp.gov 2)